3. Pilot project Abruzzo The training was structured in four sessions, each lasting two hours, hosted by the schools. Parents were invited to the project with a written statement, a total of about 160 letters were delivered. The meetings were attended by four kinship carers, that have ensured their active presence, however, preferring to remain anonymous for privacy reasons. The claim was accepted by the team. Parents involved: 25 Kinship carers involved: 4 Methods: Laboratory Group Psychologists Number: 4.
4. Pilot project Abruzzo The intent was to improve parenting skills about good communication with their children, in order to support effective prevention of drug misuse. This experience brought us to understand the importance of spreading information about the delicate role of kinship carers. (with the intention of awareness…)
5. Pilot project Abruzzo PARENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AT SCHOOL Mode : psycho educational group Strategy : narrative lab
6. Pilot project Abruzzo Objectives: - Information - Promotion of effective communication - Providing ideas for thought - Promotion of the welfare for children and carers
7. Pilot project Abruzzo Information on: - parental function and its complexity - psychological and physical needs of the child and family - parenting skills and relationships with the network of existing services in the area
8. Pilot project Abruzzo Facilitate communication through: - Exchange of experiences between parents/carers - Listening, dialogue, empathy - Being in touch with their emotions
9. Pilot project Abruzzo Providing ideas for thought to: - Make requests for help - Identify problems - Defining objectives - Stimulate the search for alternative solutions - Manage conflicts
10. Pilot project Abruzzo Promotion of the welfare for children and carers : - Addressing the expectations in a positive way - Preventing manifestations of distress - Managing risk situations
11. Pilot project Abruzzo Key elements of the experience: - Meeting at school, instead of the SERT structures, has reinforced the perception of the role in carers parenting - High interest and involvement - Stimulation of reflections about the meetings at home - Reduced sense of loneliness - More awareness of their parenting skills, and then of ‘self-esteem’ - Increase of advices requests at the SERT
12. Pilot project Abruzzo Problem: lack of information about public services involved in this specific area of “Kinship carers and prevention” First step : creation of a pamphlet with guidelines about prevention of addictive behaviors and the network of public services available in our area. Second step : dissemination of materials aimed at a better definition of networking with other service members (family planning clinics, facilities of the town) Final step : involvement of school staff, primary care physicians
13. Working Team Psychologists Counselors Social workers Working for years in a specialized public service for addiction (SERT )
14. Conclusions At the beginning, the carers and parents were surprised about the working methods, the level of involvement was high. Putting together the issues of carers and parents of pupils was a necessity but it came out to be a resource: speaking about emotions as a matter of fact put people on the same level, especially considering the absence of contexts in which they can discuss freely.
15. Conclusions The initial situation was one group that included two types of parenting, but during the meetings this showed that the apparent differences, perceived mainly by anonymous carers, appeared to have little relevance to the questions that each participant has asked himself and has chosen to share with others. Understanding that other (natural parents or not) often face the same problems in the daily management of children makes you feel less alone and helps to resize the difficulties or at least to see them from a different point. In our case then, as we all carers with which we are in contact are close relatives (uncles or grandparents) of children, this allows the reliable nature to minimize the risk of rejection by the child to new parents and keep the original family ties.
16. Conclusions The chosen methodology sought to facilitate an attitude of openness and preparedness for change, most of the participants after the meetings, said they see little nuances not noticed before and feel supported by the fact that certain behaviours of children may belong to an evolutionary phase rather than to an inadequate response of the adult. The centrality of effective communication, based on a closer examination of the needs of family members, seemed the best choice to create the most suitable conditions for the mental wellbeing of children and prevent hardship.
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